Richie Sambora has revealed that the hand injury he previously discussed with fans is more serious than he initially admitted, saying the problem is “pretty complicated” and that his hand has still not fully recovered.
The former Bon Jovi guitarist shared the update in a new video on his X account while celebrating a milestone for “Church of Desire,” a track from his 1991 debut solo album, Stranger in This Town. Sambora thanked fans after the song passed one million streams on Spotify.
“Hey, everybody. What’s going on? We did it, man. Church of Desire, over a million hits on Spotify,” Sambora said. “I just love you guys. Thank you so much for your support. And just keep playing, rock and roll, baby.”
Sambora then offered an update on what is coming next, mentioning his recent performances with Kings of Chaos and Heartland. But he also admitted that his hand remains a problem and that he had previously downplayed the severity of the injury.
“You know, things are coming up. The momentum’s grooving, and had a wonderful time with the Kings of Chaos and Heartland,” he said. “And, you know, my hand’s still not all the way there.”
Sambora then revealed that the injury was more serious than he had previously told fans. “It’s worse than I told everybody, and I didn’t really say anything about it, but it was pretty complicated,” he admitted. “My hand is pretty complicated.”
Sambora did not provide further details about the exact nature of the injury or explain how long he expects his recovery to take. However, the admission is significant for a guitarist whose ability to perform depends heavily on the condition and movement of his hands.
Despite the ongoing issue, Sambora remained positive throughout the video and focused much of his message on thanking fans for continuing to support his solo material.
“So, anyway, but Church of Desire, we were on it. Thank you so much. It makes me so happy,” he continued. “Like I said, I love you guys. I love my fans, and I think that’s why you do it, right? It’s the communication.”
The guitarist was particularly pleased by the continued interest in Stranger in This Town, which was released more than three decades ago. Sambora noted that the songs from his first solo record continue to attract listeners on streaming platforms.
“I’m glad that you think my music is, like, almost timeless because that was a long time ago that that song was written,” he said. “And you guys got the whole Stranger in This Town, my first solo album. Every song is over a million views on Spotify.”
The update comes as Sambora has been gradually increasing his musical activity. His recent appearance with Kings of Chaos put him back onstage alongside a lineup of established rock musicians, while also giving fans another opportunity to see him perform after years of limited live appearances.
His latest revelation suggests that those performances came while he was still dealing with a more difficult physical problem than fans realized. Sambora did not indicate that the injury would stop his future plans, however, and instead promised that he intends to perform for his fans again.
“My heart is warm by you guys, and I promise I’m gonna come see you and play my ass off, sing my ass off too,” he said. “So, peace and love. I love yous, and thank you for Church of Desire.”
Sambora’s comments leave some uncertainty over the extent of his hand injury and how much recovery is still ahead. But despite admitting that the situation is worse than he previously revealed, he appears determined to continue building momentum and return to the stage.
For now, Sambora is keeping the details of the injury private, but his message made one thing clear: the problem has been more complicated than fans were originally led to believe, and he has been performing while still working his way back to full strength.
